1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to digital to analog converters and, more particularly, to digital to analog converter systems that provide resolution control of a digital to analog converter.
2. Background Information
Digital to analog converters are an essential interface circuit from the digital domain into the analog domain and, particularly, the analog signal processing domain. Digital to analog converters are also a key to many analog to digital converter techniques. Digital to analog converters accept N-bit digital words or data and convert them into an analog voltage signal. The analog voltage signal ranges from zero to a maximum voltage corresponding to a reference voltage provided to the digital to analog converter
Digital to analog converters have a predetermined resolution that depends on the bit size of the digital input word. Typically, the greater the number of input bits, the greater the resolution. The need for a particular resolution, however, may not be necessary over the entire operational range of the digital to analog converter depending on the application of the digital to analog converter. Moreover, again depending on the application, it may not be necessary for the digital to analog converter to provide the maximum voltage.
It would thus be desirable to have a control arrangement for a digital to analog converter.
It would thus be desirable to have a digital to analog conversion system that allows for the resolution to change depending on the application.
It would thus be further desirable to have a digital to analog conversion system that allows for the maximum output voltage to change depending on the application.
It would thus be still further desirable to have a digital to analog conversion system that allows for both the resolution and the maximum output voltage to change depending on the application.